BEVERLY HILLS, May 05, (THEWILL) – The consequences of the actions of Nigeria’s sports governance with regards to the administration of sports by the sporting federations in the country has not abated especially with the damning suspension slammed on the country’s rugby federation by the continental rugby body, Africa Rugby.
When the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD), in exercising their oversight over the sporting federations in the country, on Friday last week, ordered the dissolution of the boards of all 31 sporting federations in the country, THEWILL queried the decision on the grounds of the proximity to the Olympics and noted the grouse of the board members involved about the time left in their tenures.
This was because the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, explained that the reason why it was a necessary step was because it was in keeping with the Olympic Charter: “Following the provision of the Olympic Charter, the tenure of the national Olympic Sports Federations in Nigeria has come to an end. There is a need for a transition from the old boards to new ones.”
To keep the important activities that these federations performed running smoothly, the Minister simultaneously placed the affairs of all dissolved boards under caretaker committees unilaterally set up by his Ministry to hold the forte until fresh elections took place.
The sharp reaction of several of the board members to the action of the Ministry was founded on their position that the Ministry was wrong to claim that they had reached the end of their terms as they still had about two more months since they were inaugurated on Wednesday, June 21, four years ago. In fact, only by elections are they supposed to be replaced not by hand-picked caretakers.
And now, because of the Minister’s dissolution of the board of the Nigerian Rugby Football Federation, one of the 30 still dissolved, Africa Rugby has announced the indefinite suspension of Nigeria from all global activities via a letter sent to the Honourable Minister’s office.
The suspension letter warned that if appropriate steps were not taken in line with the approved constitution of the Rugby board, Nigeria will remain ineligible to partake in any of its global activities. The letter read: “We have learned of the dissolution of the boards of 31 sports Federations in Nigeria, including the above Rugby Federation to be replaced by a handpicked caretaker committee.
“We would humbly remind the Honourable Minister that the constitution of the NRFF which was ratified at their Extraordinary General Meeting held in Lagos on the 3rd of March 2018, was also formally approved by Rugby Afrique and by World Rugby at the time.
“This constitution, ratified at the National, Regional and Global level, as well as the Nigerian Olympic Committee, represented by its Secretary-General specifically stipulates the time and modalities for the elections for a new board of the NRFF which must be held by a duly constituted AGM.
“The dissolution of the duly elected board of NRFF is against the stipulations of the approved Constitution and is highly disruptive for the unions’ operations.
“Consequently, we have no choice but to impose an immediate suspension of Nigeria’s participation in all Rugby Afrique and World Rugby activities until further notice.
“We do appeal in all sincerity that the Ministry allows the Federation to follow its approved constitution.
“Rugby Afrique avails itself of this opportunity of assuring the Honourable Minister of its highest consideration.”
THEWILL earlier reported on the quick backpedalling the Ministry had to do with regards to the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) after including it in the list of 31 federations to have its affairs overseen by a caretaker committee
This came after all the efforts made by a World Athletics in their Abuja crisis resolution meeting to resolve the crisis of leadership tearing it apart.
THEWILL holds that, just as the Ministry rescinded and revoked their decision of a caretaker in AFN in that case so as to allow elections hold as agreed at the crisis resolution meeting to allow elections hold by the June 14 deadline of their elective congress, it might interest the Minister, Dare, to allow the board reconstitute as they were before the dissolution, organise elections that should be monitored closely and have the board members exit after the Olympics.
This will present a soft landing in this situation, as it allows the boards serve out their complete tenures, keeps grouses and bitterness away to allow the Nigerian Olympics contingent benefit from the experience of the boards and prevent the Honourable Minister from being subject to the indignity of such letters from continental and world bodies.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
